.718 `?e HISTORY f the PvaiTANS. Chap. IX. K. Charla I. « given way to every thing, and therefore they fhould not wonder, if in 1641. " tome things he began nova to rfu/e." Lord Clarendon inlinuates, that the king paffed thefe bills with reluctance; fromwhence another inge- pious writer concludes, that if ever the miniftry had regained their pow- er, 'twas likely they would have advifedhis majefty to declare them void, as being extorted from him by force and violence. An aeifpr a- The act for abolifhing the high cernmiffron court repeals that branch of bolifhing the the ftatute, i Eliz. ear. 1. upon which this court was founded, and then court of highenacts, " That no arebbi(bops, bithops, vicars general; chancellor, or commcn. " official, nor commiffary of any archbifhop, bifhop, or vicar general, or any other fpiritual, or ecclefraftical officer, (hall by any grant licenfe or " commitlion from the king, his heirs or fucceffors, after the inof .duguft, " 1641. award, itnpofe, or inflict any pain, penalty, fine, amercement, 60 prifonment, or other corporal punifhment, upon any of theking's fob- " jests, for any contempt, mifdemeanor, crime, matter or thing whatfo- " ever, belonging to fpiritual or ecclefiaftical jutifdiction, or (hall ex O.' " ria tender or adminifter to any perfon, any corporal oath, to make any prefentment of any crime, or to confefs or accule himfelf of any crime, " offence, delinquency, or mifdemeanor, whereby he or the may be liable " to any punifhment whatfoever, under penalty of treble charges, and on " hundred pounds to him or them who (hall firít demand or fue for the " fame. And it is further ened`ted, that after the Paid firft of lluguff I641. no new court (ball be erected, or deemed, or appointed; that " (hall have the like power, jurífdiition, or authority, as the high " conamfìon court had, or pretended to have, but all fuch commit " lions, letters patents, &c. from the king, or his fucceffors ; and " all acts fentences and decrees, made by virtue thereof, (hall be ut- " tellyvoid." itcramht. By the paging this act) all coercive power of church confítories was taken away, and the fpiritual fword that had done fuch terrible execution in the hands of force bithops, was put into the fcabbard. It was very extraordinary that the bithops, who were then in the houle of lords, fhould fo fupinely fuffer themfelves to be furprized 13. XI. out of their power. Some were ready to obferve a hand of jut P' tar. tire, (lays Mr. Fuller) that feeing many liimple fouls, by captious in- terrogatories, had been circumvented by the high commion court into a felf accufation, an unexpeited claufe in this ftatute fhould abolifh all their lawful authority ; for there is no provifo in the act to reftrain it only to the high commi ton, but it extends to all archbifhops, bithops, and all fpiritual or ecclefiaftical officers in any of their courts. Caren. Lord Clarendon Pays, that the king was apprehenfive that the body of Vol. I. the P. 28*
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